Southern Pacific
Bio The Southern Pacific (SP) railroad was a standard-gauge US Class 1 railroad that existed from 1870 to 1996, which was originally known as the Central Pacific from around 1853 to 1869 during the events revolving around the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States. The railroad was one of the several that was purchased by the Union Pacific (UP) in 1996; yet the UP originally planned to purchasing or merging with the SP in 1901, but was denied due to the US Department of Transportation forbiding anymore US Class 1 railroad companies from purchasing and/or absorbing smaller railroads due to economic issues. Early History to the Early 20th Century The Southern Pacific was first officially established under the actual SP name during 1870, and was once the largest Western-based US Class 1 railroad which eventually grew by the 1960's and 1970's due to the purchase and absorption of the Saint Louis And Southwestern "Cotton Belt" Railroad (SSW). The SP originally operated from Wyoming to California, and eventually expanded their routes over the newly established states of New Mexico and Arizona, and eventually the western panhandle of Texas during the 1910's, as well as eventually purchasing several smaller US Class 1 and various US Class 2 railroads such as the El Paso And Southwestern and half of the Texas And Pacific Railroad during the 1920's (mainly trackage); yet both weren't absorbed until several years later. (Yet the other halves of the Texas And Pacific was purchased by the MKT; Missouri Kansas Texas and Missouri Pacific railroads during the 1940's.) They often competed with the Union Pacific, which was their long-time arch-rival. Yet, the SP was unfortunately purchased by it's long-time rival towards the end of the 20th Century. Mid 20th Century Eventually towards the Great Depression and World War 2 in the United States, the Southern Pacific had an ever increasing amount of traffic (mainly with fruit; thus the creation of the Pacific Fruit Express trains), and grew short of having a fleet of freight locomotives due to their passenger trains originally being a main priority throughout Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Hence, them ordering the unique and specially designed "Cab forward" 2-6-6-2, 4-6-6-2, 2-8-8-2, and 4-8-8-2 steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works from 1911 to 1945 along their long and steep routes, and were some of the last steam locomotives purchased by the railroad besides their GS Series high-speed passenger and mixed traffic steam locomotives built by the Lima Locomotive Works from 1935 to 1944. Things eventually changed though, for the Southern Pacific began purchasing large fleets of ALCO, GE, and EMD diesel locomotives to replace their aging and expensive fleets of steam locomotives. Thus, all steam locomotives were scrapped, retired, and/or preserved by 1952 (except for a small fleet); to whom the Southern Pacific was one of the first US Class 1 railroads to almost completely retire all of their steam locomotives which actually began the End of the Steam Era in the United States. The Southern Pacific eventually purchased the Saint Louis And Southwestern "Cotton Belt Route" (SSW, or simply Cotton Belt) railroad during the 1960's, and remained as a subsidary until shortly before the Southern Pacific's demise in 1996. Demise of Passenger Service However, during the 1970's when the formation of Amtrak occurred and railroads were in a major state of decline, the Southern Pacific became the very last US Class 1 railroad to discontinue passenger service after withstanding the purchase of Amtrak for several years, but unfortunately began to fail due to lack of maintenance with their passenger fleet. Thus, in 1977; Amtrak took over all passenger operations from the Southern Pacific, while later commuter companies such as CalTrain replaced the SP's commuter service throughout areas of the state of California. SPSF Merger Towards the mid-1980's, the SP also eventually grew interested in merging with the ATSF (Santa Fe) railroad, to which they both operated on almost the exact same trackage; including more recognizable and famous routes such as the El Cajon Pass, Donner Pass, and the Tehachapi Loop. Thus, both railroads who remained decent neighbors rather than rivals like with the Union Pacific; both decided to propose a merger in 1982, and officially began in 1983 which became known as the SPSF Corporation. Yet, the merger unfortunately was an ultimate failure, and resulted in a huge profit loss and lawsuit by the US Department of Transportation and the Interstate Commerce Commission due to the merger not being accepted right when the plan took place. D&RGW Purchase As a result of the failure of the SPSF, the Southern Pacific grew in debt, and was in desperate need of finances. Thus, another railroad; the D&RGW (Rio Grande) grew interested in merging with the Southern Pacific by sharing their financial stock. Thus in 1988, the D&RGW was purchased by the SP and both shared the same routes and investments, and vowed to not monopolize or absorb one another; but rather serve as partners under the Southern Pacific name. Hence, the D&RGW became defunct as an independent company in 1989. Later History And Demise The Southern Pacific's merger with the D&RGW was an initial success, and attracted twice the amount of customers as opposed to the SPSF's customer performance. Yet towards the mid-1990's, the Southern Pacific purchased one of their only other AC-traction diesel locomotives: the GE AC4400CW, which unfortunately spelled the end of the railroad because of the fact that they were eventually purchased by their long-time rival Union Pacific in 1996. Thus, the Southern Pacific and the remainder of the D&RGW were purchased and absorbed by the Union Pacific and no longer exist as US Class 1 railroad companies. Paintschemes The Southern Pacific used various different paintschemes throughout its history. Such as the "Daylight", "Black Widow", Bloody Nose", and "Kodakchrome". Aside from painting most of their earlier steam locomotives with various black, white, and grey schemes like with the Union Pacific before introducing their "Armor Yellow" scheme. Gallery SP 7399.jpg|An example of their SPSF "Kodakchrome" scheme, which the scheme derives from the way the scheme resembles the Kodak camera brand's earlier packaging. SP SD44R.jpg|An example of one of their exclusive "Daylight" liveries painted on their only SD44R, which originates from the GS-4 steam locomotives; to whom the GS-4's were nicknamed "Daylight's". Bicentennial SP GP40P-2.jpg|An example of one of their exclusive "Bientennial" schemes which was used on one of their exclusive and rare EMD GP40P-2 units. SP MK5000C.jpg|An example of one of the Southern Pacific's experimental AC-powered MK5000C diesel locomotives with the "Bloddy Nose" scheme variants with D&RGW "speed" style letering. SSW 9389.jpg|An example of SSW SD45T-2 #9389; the other "bicentennial" unit. SP U23B 6800.jpg|An example of SP U23B #6800; one of the other "bicentennial" units. SP 8232.jpg|An example of a repainted and renumbered SP SD40T-2 owned by the UP. SP Black Widow units.jpg|An example of SP units painted in the "Black Widow" scheme. SSW F7.jpg|An example of an SSW F7 painted in the SP's "Black Widow" scheme as a sign of the purchase. SSW B39-8.jpg|An example of an SSW B39-8 in the SP's "Bloody Nose" scheme; the only other scheme SSW units were painted in during the SP's ownership. Southern Pacific GS-4.PNG|SP No. 2472; another preserved steam locomotive; hauling a steam excursion with SP 4449 before being retired for overhaul. SP 2248.jpg|Southern Pacific No. 2248 actually wore one of the schemes used by the Central Pacific before the CPRR became the SP. (The unit in the image wears a dedication scheme to the CPRR.) SP 4460.jpg|An example of SP 4460; 4449's lesser-known GS-6 counter-part. 2353-5.jpg|Southern Pacific No. 2353; a 2-8-0 'Consolidation' undergoing restoration. 6659676985 831b91ee38 z.jpg|Southern Pacific No. 2252; a 4-6-0 'Ten-Wheeler'. SP-painted D&RGW SD40T-2.jpg|An example of a repainted D&RGW SD40T-2 with D&RGW lettering stenciled at the sides of the cab. SP Rarity.jpg|A rarity during the "dirty era" of the SP in the 1970's: two GE Dash 7 units are washed by an inspection crew in Houston, TX sometime during the 70's. Narrow-gauge SP Train.jpg|An example of a narrow-gauge SP train which consists of a locomotive and rollingstock from a former California-based mining railroad. SPSF partnership.jpg|A sign of the SP's short-lived partnership with the ATSF: two crew members from both railroads shake hands and pose for a remarkable photo for the short-lived (and unexpected) SPSF merger in 1984. ImagesCAPSVBAT.jpg|SP No. 1221; a typical yard switcher. Oddball SP units.jpg|SP #7675 and UP #1391; two oddball patched SP units. WTF.jpg|SP #7675. WTF 2.jpg|UP #1391. Trivia/Facts Many former patched and unpatched SP and SSW units still exist on Union Pacific's roster, and completely outnumber the amount of former D&RGW and CNW units which still remain in their original paint. (Unlike their MKT, WP, and MP units.) The SP once owned various narrow-gauged railroads and had locomotives and rollingstock renumbered and rostered under their name, but were eventually absorbed, abandoned, and converted similar to what occurred with the D&RGW and SSW's ownerships. The Southern Pacific was once close to the exact same size as the UP shortly before the merger in 1996. UP #1996; an EMD SD70ACe owned by the Union Pacific; is painted in a combination of all the schemes the Southern Pacific used (excluding the SPSF merger scheme), as well as it being part of the UP's Heritage Fleet as a "heritage unit". SP "Cab-forward" AC-12 4-8-8-2 #4294 is the only "Cab-forward" steam locomotive to be restored and preserved, while SP #4449 is the only high-speed passenger GS-4 steam locomotive to be preserved and currently operate. (Aside from SP GS-6 #4460, 4449's lesser-known "cousin".) Many former Southern Pacific buildings, equipment, locomotives, and rollingstock are preserved by various different preservation societies as well as the Union Pacific railroad itself. Three diesel locomotives from the SP's roster were painted in the "Bicentennial" scheme to celebrate the United States government's (or the US in general) 200th anniversary or bicentennial anniversary in 1976, similar to how SP 4449 was restored and hauled the American Freedom Train for its inaugral excursion. Ironically, during the SP's rebuilding program and merger failure in the 1980's, their diesel locomotives and rollingstock became increasingly dirty similar to how most BNSF's units still currently are. Several SSW units received "SP" lettering such as SSW #9389 as opposed to the distinguished "SSW" reporting mark placed on the front hood and stenciled on the rear hood. Ironically, the Union Pacific briefly had a tradition of repainting former SP units into having simplified versions of the "Bloody Nose" scheme similar to how the purchase of the Missouri Pacific was with having distinguished lettering in the UP's "Armor Yellow" scheme signifying the purchase and the MP being a subsidary as with the SSW of the SP; thus the technique being similar to BNSF, CSX and SP's traditions with their former ancestors units left in modified versions of their original schemes. (Mainly with the SSW portion of SP being in SP paint, but with SSW-style lettering and reporting marks.) Driver's side cab windows were often combined together to provide better vision on most of SP's diesel locomotives in the 1970's, which was an early concept of having a "wide-cab" or "comfort-cab" vision. (Similar to how they used beacons and MARS lights to help notify and alert road or car drivers of an approaching train.) The Southern Pacific was also once affiliated with the N de M of Mexico; to whom they helped construct some of the last railroad lines which were standard-gauge (as opposed to originally being narrow-gauge) in central Mexico. Sierra Railway No. 3 was often painted and renumbered into "Central Pacific No. 131"; it's original number and owner before being sold from the Southern Pacific. Several D&RGW units were also repainted into the SP scheme only because of roster changes and/or units in-need of a repaint. Oddly, SP #7675 (a former SP GP40-2 retaining its original number) and UP #1391 (another former SP GP40-2) were both repainted in unusual "banana nose" liveries which consisted of having UP's "Armor Yellow" painted over the SP's original "Bloody Nose" hood scheme as a unique (yet odd) form of patchwork. Sources http://centexrails.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html Category:Companies Category:Defunct companies Category:US Class 1 Railroads Category:US railroads Category:North American Railroads Category:Multi-gauged Railroads